Kenmark integrates a water bottle into an armband for runners

Kenmark Sports has a new way for runners, walkers and other fitness enthusiasts to stay hydrated. It takes the bottle out of your hand, off your waist and out of your backpack and puts it on your arm. It calls its (not so creatively named) Armband Water Bottle the "first multifunctional armband on the market."

Staying hydrated is easy for some types of athletes. Players in organized leagues have jugs of water and Gatorade awaiting just outside the lines, cyclists can mount water to their bikes, and marathon runners have people practically throwing water down their gullets. But for sports like power walking and running, where you're on the move and want to eliminate as much clothing and as many accessories as possible, it's a little more difficult to stay hydrated. You can hold a bottle or two of water, strap a few bottles to your waist, or wear a hydration backpack. Those options work fine for some but may be clunky, annoying and dysfunctional for others

Kenmark thinks it has a better solution. The Armband Water Bottle may be appealing to those that find other packs uncomfortable. More than just a water bottle holder, the accessory straps to your arm by way of Neoprene sleeve and includes a storage pocket for keys, money, cell phone, music player and other small items. It holds water in a 16-ounce (473-ml) aluminum bottle. The storage pocket features a clear face for touchscreen access and is detachable, so that you can use it as a makeshift wallet.

In its product announcement last fall, Kenmark founder Kendall Thompson said of the Armband: "The Armband Water Bottle fills an unmet need in the sporting goods industry, while existing water bottle carriers, such as belts, waist packs or bladder packs, can be heavy and hinder physical activity."

More options are always a good thing for any consumer, and some athletes might very well prefer this over existing hydration systems, but we're curious about the claim that other options are heavy and hinder physical activity while the Armband solves those problems. Much of the weight of any hydration solution is in the actual water being carried, and there are plenty of ultralight pack options for runners and athletes. The arms are among the most active parts of your body in many workouts, so having a bottle of water sloshing around during every arm movement could definitely hinder your workout. It's an option, but not a silver bullet.